1. Understand the Reaction:
* Chlorine gas (Cl₂) reacts with fluorine gas (F₂) to form a gaseous product.
* The volume ratio of reactants is 1:3 (1 liter Cl₂ : 3 liters F₂).
* The volume ratio suggests a simple whole-number ratio of molecules in the balanced chemical equation.
2. Determine the Product's Empirical Formula:
* Since the volume ratio is 1:3, we can assume a single chlorine molecule reacts with three fluorine molecules.
* This means the empirical formula of the product is ClF₃ (one chlorine atom and three fluorine atoms).
3. Consider the Product's State:
* The problem states the product is a gas. This supports the idea of a simple covalent molecule like ClF₃, as ionic compounds are usually solids at room temperature.
Conclusion:
The most likely formula for the gaseous product is ClF₃ (chlorine trifluoride).